• Union Minister Jitendra Singh unveils India’s first practical AI Data Bank during the 7th Edition of the ASSOCHAM AI Leadership Meet.

• It aims to accelerate technological growth and innovation by providing researchers, startups, and developers access to high-quality, diverse datasets essential for creating scalable and inclusive AI solutions. 

• AI Data Bank is important in enhancing national security through real-time analytics of satellite, drone, and Internet of Things data. 

• This step aligns with India’s goal to utilise AI for predictive analytics in disaster management and cybersecurity.

• India’s National Strategy for AI is guided by a comprehensive approach focused on innovation, ethical governance, and global collaboration. 

• The government is fostering partnerships between academia, private enterprises, and startups to propel AI applications in critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, smart cities, and space exploration.

What is artificial intelligence?

• The term ‘artificial intelligence’ (AI) means a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.

• AI is the use of digital technology to create systems capable of performing tasks commonly thought to require human intelligence.

• AI is expected to change the way we work and live. In view of its positive impact on the economy, the technology is being embraced by countries across the world. Its proliferation is being regarded as the fourth industrial revolution.

• AI presents enormous global opportunities: it has the potential to transform and enhance human well-being, peace and prosperity.

• AI promises to transform nearly every aspect of our economy and society. The opportunities are transformational — advancing drug discovery, making transport safer and cleaner, improving public services, speeding up and improving diagnosis and treatment of diseases like cancer and much more.

• However, AI should be designed, developed, deployed, and used, in a manner that is safe, in such a way as to be human-centric, trustworthy and responsible. 

• The opportunities are vast, and there is great potential for increasing the productivity of workers of all kinds. 

• However, these huge opportunities come with risks that could threaten global stability and undermine our values. 

• AI poses risks in ways that do not respect national boundaries. It is important that governments, academia, businesses, and civil society work together to navigate these risks, which are complex and hard to predict, to mitigate the potential dangers and ensure AI benefits society.

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